Step Into The Future With BMW

BMW has long been on the forefront of automotive design, with the fruits of their labor on display throughout iconic BMW vehicles like the 2016 BMW 328i xDrive and the 2016 BMW 535i xDrive. That commitment to the cutting edge doesn’t just entail designing innovative new features, it also means innovating the design process itself. In that spirit, BMW recently adopted the HTC Vive Virtual Reality (VR) headsets into their design process.

This may come as a surprise, but BMW has actually been employing VR systems in their development process since as far back as the 1990s. In recent years, the computer gaming industry has driven VR technology to incredible new heights. BMW took a close look at the new devices the industry was developing last year, evaluating each one for its potential benefit to BMW engineers, ultimately settling on the Vive.

This technology opens up a world of possibility for BMW. Vehicle functions and interior designs can be modeled quickly, with development engineers able to drive through photo-realistic cities to observe these potential new functions and designs in action. A poorly legible display or an awkwardly positioned knob are identified and corrected early and easily. To take these simulations to the next level, BMW has paired the VR tech with a reusable interior assembly that makes use of rapid prototyping. Along with precise, stereoscopic acoustic playback to mimic sounds like the characteristic acoustics of a BMW engine, the brand has created a true mixed reality experience for their designers to take advantage of and use during their work process.

Here at Bill Jacobs BMW near Chicago, IL, we can’t wait to see what the design engineers at BMW will think up next with this incredible technology at their disposal.